Dustin Ragucos: At first glance, it’s easy to believe that the weapon-wielding team consists LARPers. But that’s not so, and that makes everything in the video even better. All of that pent-up aggression that adolescents had because of their parents is released in a safe place. Something’s on fire, figuratively and literally. There’s something that’s so Weezer about this song, yet it’s not very easy to pinpoint. Either way, there is an anger that listeners can feel vicariously. When singer Will Toledo talks about his guilt, sadness, yearning, and whatnot, you do, kind of, want to thrust your foot through the window. The passionate instrumentation that carries his final call makes you want to keep him from destroying himself. [8/10]
John Garratt: If muttering vocals sung through a lazy filter were a stock commodity, I really should buy up since it seems to be such a common plague, I mean, trend. We all get the idea 60 seconds in and the rest just pats itself on the back. “Why aren’t they big?” asks a Youtube commenter. Easy: they’re generic. [4/10]
Chris Gerard: Leesburg, Virginia-based Car Seat headrest is the project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Will Toledo, who’s been putting out records at a rapid clip since 2010. “Something Soon” is from the upcoming Teens of State, and it’s a good one. It’s arresting alternative rock with real passion and intensity. Toledo is clearly a talented songwriter, and it will be interesting to see if he can maintain the high level of drama evident on “Something Soon” over the course of an entire album. It’s hard not to believe that great things will come from this band in the future. [7/10]
John Bergstrom: It feels like a cheap move here, inserting some soaring harmonies into otherwise lifeless indie slacker rock just to ensure the invocation of a certain Californian musical genius. In the video, smashing stuff in slow motion fails to make them any more authentic. [3/10]
Eric Risch: Following 11 self-released albums since 2010, bedroom auteur Car Seat Headrest (née Will Toledo) gets a cup of coffee after signing to Matador. With his debut major league at-bat, “Something Soon”, Toledo channels the “fucking suave” Dean Stockwell of Blue Velvet, opting to bunt his band of meddling kids around for a run. Whereas Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth would have swung for the fences, Toledo makes the most of his September call-up, ensuring his Car Seat Headrest is warranted a spring training roster spot, exhibiting power potential in spite of his declarations of indifference on “Something Soon”. [8/10]